Mounting for portraits and photographs



J. MARCELINO Y DIAZ.

MOUNTING FOR PORTRAITS AND PHOTOGRAPHS.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 12. 1921.

Patented May 2, 1922.

Joaquin IABOELINO 1 nraz, or nsnana, cons.

MOUNTING FOB PORTRAITS AND PHOTOGRAPHS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 2, 1922.

Application filed latch 12, 1921. Serial No. 451,895.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOAQUIN Msacnnmo Y DIAZ, a citizen of the Republic of Cuba, and resident of' Habana, Cuba, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Mountings for Portraits and Photographs, of which the following is a specification. A v

The present invention relates to mountings or backings for portraits or photographs, the object being to provide an article of this class by means of which ortraits or hotographs of any type may e artistica ly and elegantly mounted; but although 5 ecifically intended for the above mentloned purpose, it is obvious that the invention is applicable and may be utilized with the same results in connection with lithographs, pictures and paintings of any kind.

Heretofore, in mounting the photograph of a person, for. example, it has been the general practice to use therefor a mater al of sufiicient strength to resist'wear, wh ch would protect the photograph, and which was low in cost. As a preferred material in such -cases cardboard of greater or less thickness has generally been used, but this material presents serious defects which, up to the present time have not been eliminated.

Photographs, cemented on cardboard, as customaryat the present time, leave much to be desired with respect'to the artistic apearance of the portrait or subject, since the atter is surrounded by shadows or other objects formed at the base of the picture, the lines or configurations of the person or object being confused with the surrounding shadows and hence resentmg a poor artistic effect of the o ject or person photographed or reproduced.

In order to avoid these and other serious defects evolved in practice, I have invented and provided a certain arrangement by means of which, as hereinafter explained, .a new material suitable for mounting photographs and the like is created, permitting the photographed object to be presented so that the external lines and contour stand out sharply, without surrounding shadows, and arranged in such artistic form that it will appear, as nearly as possible, a miniature of the original.

The object produced in'this manner is not only more agreeable to view and imparts great brilliancy to the photograph or portrait, but at the same time maybeplac'ed as an ornament in show windows and in other suitable positions.

In the practice of my invention, for the molmtings of said photographs, instead of cardboard I make use of wood, and although both materials are subject to distortion, stretching or bending by reason of atmos: pheric. conditions, I provide a special arran ement bymeans of which wood can be use for this pur ose and under conditions such that its ten ency to warp or bend is eliminated or reduced to a minimum.

In order that the invention may be more readily understood, reference is made to the accompanying drawing in which;

Figure 1 is a front elevation of a photogra painting or drawing mounted in accor ance with the invention.

Figure 2 is an edge view of the accessory element which serves as a base to retain the object shown in Fig. 1 in its effective upright position.

Fig. 3 is a plan view of the accessory element illustrated in Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 1s a transverse section on line 4-4 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is a detail section, on a greatly enlar ed scale, showing the arrangement of the gram of the wood.

Referring to the drawings, 1 designates a photograph or picture suitably attached tothe surface of a block of wood formed of three layers or veneers 3, 4 and 5, of this material, which laminations are appropriately cemented together on their respective faces by means of glue orother similar substance.

In forming the block, I arran the diiferent layers or veneers of woo composing it in such manner with respect-to each other that the fibers or grain of each layer or veneer extend preferably transversely to the fibers of the adjacent layer. This arrange- .ment is illustrated in Flg. 5 where, for example, the central veneer 4, has its fibers extending vertically, the fibers of layers 3 and 5 extending horizontally, that is, transverse with respect to the fibers of the layer or veneer immediately adjacent thereto.

As shown in Fig. 5, the preferred form of construction comprises three layers or veneers, but it is to be understood that this is solely by way of. example and in order to facilitate illustration of the invention; for it 'is obvious that I may make use of a greater number and superpose or add new arrangement of the layers with respect to each other may be modified in that the fibers thereof may extend diagonally or obliquely with respect to each other instead of horizontallyor intersecting; likewise, the first layer, that forming the surface intended for the reception of the picture, portrait or photograph, may have its fibers extending vertically, transversely or horizontally, dagonally or obliquely, as deemed suitable, without departing from. the spirit and scope of my invention.

- On one of these faces of the block thus obtained by the grouping ofthe different layersof wood, and after this has been suitably pressed and prepared, I attach or ar range the photograph, portrait or picture, said block then being cut away along the outline or contour of the figure or picture,

'jthe cutting being done diagonally or obliquely with respect to the front face of the block which supports the photographs or picture, that to say, that the front angles or edges 6, 1g. 4) of the lateral or contoured walls occupy a more advanced outward position 'than the rear angles or edges 8, of suchlateral orcontoured walls, the results being not only a better appearance of the finished object, but the external lines thereof are shown entirely clear and free from shadows.

As a complement for the backing on which the photograph is mounted, I provide a base emme element 9, (Figs. 2 and 3), the central part of which is provided with a groove, depression or slot 10, through which penetrates and is retained therein a tongue 11-, and by means of which the object is sup orted in its vertical osition, and disassemb ed when desired. '1 is base member, however, may be omitted and any other suitable pedestal or support may be substituted therefor according to artistic requirements.

It is to be noted that the object of forming a block or backing of layers of wood arran ed under the conditions previously descri d is not only to prevent the material from bending or warping, but also to provide a means by which those parts supporting the photograph or picture and 00- cupying an advanced outward position, for instance the part indicated at 12 (Fig. 1) may be sufliciently reinforced against any tendency to bend or separate, which reinforcing will not occur if instead of layers arranged with intersecting fibers, use be made of an ordinary slab of wood.

I claim as my invention: 1

A backing or mount for photographs, pictures or the like, made of pieces of wood veneer arranged back to back and cemented to one another soas to form a block, on one face of which the picture is attached, said block being cut away to conform precisely to the contour of the obiiect photographed, and having its margina edge beveled inwardly continuously.

In testimony whereof I aifix my signature.

JOAQUIN MARCELINO Y DIAZ. 

